Low pay in South Africa

Abstract

Remuneration in South Africa has been abundantly researched, but relatively little work has focused specifically on low-paid work. This article looks at low pay among workers in wage employment between 2001 and 2007. After considering several definitions of low pay, the author estimates its incidence and analyses some of the factors associated with the probability of low pay. Based on the minimum wages prescribed in the Department of Labour's "sectoral determinations", which he maps onto Labour Force Survey data, he then investigates the effects of statutory minimum wages and collective bargaining, finding that the latter in particular reduces the incidence of low pay. © The author 2012. © International Labour Organization 2012.